Scotland's Savior
by Dave Johnson
Summary: A boy will save Scotland from its ancestral enemy.


**The History of the Kingdom of Scotland**

Scotland began its rise to prominence with only one city of note: Edinburgh. To the south lay the English, the people who had terrizoned the Scots for centuries. However, with the ascencion of Malcolm Canmore as King of Scotland, things were going to change. Malcolm took England's breath away when his son Edward moved south and seized the village of York. A village perhaps, but it represented a significant measure of the balance of power between Scotland and England.

Malcom next sent his trusted advisor and diplomat, Patrick Macdougall, south to London to renegotiate the terms of Scotland's relationship with England.

Malcolm's second son, Edmund, went north to Inverness to bring it back into the Scottish fold. The money of the King's purse, previously used for indulgences and excess, was spent on building projects through Edinburgh, and to begin raising an army.

In the year 1082, Malcolm married Prince Edward to the English princess Cecilia, creating an alliance between the two nations that was seen as controversial in Edinburgh. However, it soothed England's suspicions, and gave Scotland's future king a worthy queen.

With York and inverness both under Scottish control, Malcolm set his eye on a new prize: the Emerald Isle, and Dublin. Troops were trained, currency was spent, and Admiral Donald of the Scottish navy brought his ships in to make the crossing. Malcolm himself would lead the expedition.

Malcolm and his men landed in Ireland in the year 1088, and set down upon Dublin from the north. Dublin, although small, was surprisingly well defended, and the first real challenge to Malcolm's plans arose. However, the Battle for Dublin was a smashing success, with an average of five Irish deaths per Scottish. With affairs at home more or less settled, Malcolm commanded Mcdougal to sail to the mainland to establish ties with the main European powers.

The last unruled city in Britannia: Caernarvon, Wales. Malcolm turned his gaze upon the south and never looked back. Soldiers streamed from all over Scotland to Malcolm's siege, including a host of Scottish nobles who represented the changing face of cottish politics, from clan factionalization to the growing power of the monarchy and the thirst for expansion.

Caernarvon fell in the year 1096, and with it, came even more Scottish nobles ready to fight for Malcolm. The greatest challenge to Scotland's power, its own people, now seemed to be abating.

England, although still formally allies with Scotland, now founds itself in an awkard position, and one unknown to the country: surrounded by Scots. Malcolm's next goal was to create a professional army, as his knew secret desire was to conquer the land of his ancestor's tormentors: England.

The next year, Malcolm's youngest son, Alexander, came to age.

Malcolm's carefully concealed and impeccably planned invasion of England experienced a sudden and abrupt shock in 1110. A crusade had been called. Although there was a clamor in Scotland for Malcolm to join, Malcolm resisted the calls, and continued with his plan.

England had a growing suspicion of Scotland's intentions which were solidified in 1112 by the alliance formed between Scotland and France.

Then, David Canmore,, Malcolm's youngest, came of age, and Scotland rejoiced. There had been much talk about the young Canmore, as he was widely recognized nationwide as the best general Scotland had to offer, even better than Malcolm. In secret, David, Prince Edward, and King Malcolm all descended upon the English Castle of Nottingham, and prepared to strike.

Across the channel, Patrick Macdougall informed Prince Robert of England that as of his speaking, all treaties between Scotland and England were now void. The English barely had time to breathe before Prince Edward besieged Nottingham and David flew straight at London. However, David's army was intercepted by Prince Henry of England, with a force three times that of David. Rather than retreat, David engaged in battle. In the battle, Henry was slain by David's forces, and his army utterly destroyed. In Scotland, much was made out of the battle as "David versus Goliath". That same year, Nottingham fell, and David advanced upon London.

Within six months, London had fallen, William the Conqueror was dead, and David Canmore was married in London, now a city of Scotland.

When the summer of 1120 arrived, Prince David landed in France and besieged the city of Caen. With Brittania safe and the power of England all but extinguished, the demilatirzation of Scotland's castles began, turning them into cities.

The year 1122 came by, and Caen fell to David. Scotland's ancestral enemy England had been destroyed. Prince David Canmore, 18, had done what a hundred generations of Scots had never been able to do: vanquish England.


End file.
